Catamenial appliance.



F. c. CORNELL.

CATAMENfAL APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILEDJULY 19. 1912 V 1 159 3620 I Patented Nov. 9, 1915 Eel FREDERIC C. CORNELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CATAMENIAL APPLIANCE.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed July 19, 1912. Serial No. 710,498.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnonuro C. CORNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the boroiigh of Manhattan, city, county, and

State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catamenial Appliances, of which. the following is a specification.

This invention relates bandages, and aims to provements therein.

The present invention provides a substitute for the usual napkins worn by women, the object being to provide an appliance of this type which is adapted to receive asuitable absorbent pad which maybe securely attached to and-detached from the bandage and discarded when used.

, A further object is to provide an appliance of this character in which there is no danger to catamenial provide certain 1mof soiling the clothing, the construction being such as to prevent any leakage around the pad or through the pad holder.

A further object of theinvention is to provide an appliance in which the usual napkin may be employed and securely retained in place, in the absence of the special absorbent pad which is provided for use in connection with the invention.

In the preferred construction of my invention, '1 employ a waist band or strap which is adapted to be adjustably secured around. the person, and upon this band are secured a number of tapes of suitable construction, at least two of which are preferably elastic or provided with elastic portions, and are adapted for adjustment to suit the proper tions of the individual using the same. The holder preferably comprises a more or less elongated or rectangular member of fabric adapted to receive the strains of use and to support the absorben. pad, an impervious lining of oil silk, rubberized cloth, or other suitable material being arranged on the upper surface of the holder. At each end of the holder is preferably provided a iiap bearing a fastener or fasteners which are adapted to co-act with complementary fasteners provided upon the absorbent pad. The holder is so constructed that if a supply of absorbent pads are not readily obtainable, an ordinary napkin may be folded and. secured to the flaps by safety pins or the like.

An important feature of the invention is the construction of the holder, whi is so 7 formed that it is capable of confori ing to the contour of the body between the limbs of the user, so that it does not chafe or irritate the skin, while it engages the body so closely as to prevent any leakage around the holder, and the straps are so arranged that the ends of the holder are spread laterally in a manher to be described.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred form of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device as a whole; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the holder extended, and illustrating the method of use of the latter in connection with an ordinary napkin; Fig. 3 is a view on a smaller scale of the two sections of which the holder is preferably formed; Fig. 4c is a view illustrating the front of the appliance in use.-

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate the holder, which is shown as constructed of two sections a. 6, shown in plan in Fig. 3. The sections a b are constructed of canvas or other suitable cloth adapted to bear the necessary strains of use, and are somewhat curved in outline so that when the inner edges thereof are united the outer edges are of somewhat greater extension. This construction is important as it enables the holder to conform to the contour of the body between the limbs of the user, as best illustrated at, in Fig. 4:. It will be seen from this. figure that tlie'sides of the holder extend more or less vertically along the limbs of the user, while the central part occupies a higher position. By thus conforming to the body, the tension upon the various parts of the holder is equalized, so that there is no liability to chafe or irritate the skin, as

would be the case if the holder were flat. Furthermore the holder remains so adjusted and is not liable to roll or turn inwardly or outwardly and thus reduce its effective width to the point where leakage is possi ble. Moreover by thus conforming closely to the contour of the body, all bulkiness or bulgingis avoided. On the inner side of the holder A is provided an impervious lining 0, which is preferably of oil silk or other waterproof material. At each end of the holder is formed a flap d d, each of which is shown as stitched along its outer edge to the end of the holder. The flaps d d are provided with a form of fastening means .2, shown as the socket of a fastener of the glove 1; I e.

llhe holder A is primarily adapted to re llW at its skies than at its middle in connection reive an absorbent pad B, which is preferably formed of cheese cloth or other loose cloth lined with absorbent cotton or other absorbent material, which is indicated by the reference letter f. Each end of the absorbent p d l5 is provided with a fastening device g, which shown is adapted to enter the socket c of the fasteners of the flaps cl. By this means the absorbent pad is very quickly ad justed in place and detached after use, without any danger of soiling the fingers or clothing. tion the pads 13 are adapted to be separately sold and to be utilized in connection with the holder in accordance with requirements.

ll 11011 a. supply of absorbent pads is not obtainable for any reason, the device is adapted to be used with. an ordinary napkin,

which is'illustrated. in Fig. 2 by the letter C.

In use in this manner the flaps (Z are folded over the ends of the napkin; and any convoment fastening means, such as the safety pins 71-, are utilized to hold the napkin in place. s

The device is admirably adapted to support either the absorhen t'pad or napkin in anextended position in use, so that the pad or napkin is not wrinkled but is held in a smooth and comfort-ableposition on the body of the wearer. I

I provide a supporting mcansfor the device, which means are so attached to'the de'-- vice as to hold it securely and smoothly against the limbs and body of tlic wearer.

These means comprise stpaps or the like which are attachedfito the device at or near the outer edges of the. latter,so that in use these outer edges are-caused to hug the limbs -:;losely, thus preventing anyi-leakage on to the clothing. In the construction shown the straps are lettered j in L m, two being arranged at the front of the device and two at the rearof the device. I preferably intro; duce elastic tapes n n in the front supporting straps so that a certain amount of elastic ty is secured, thereby permitting the userto; sit or assume different positions without any danger of sagging.

lire'l'erably a waist band D is provided to support the device, the straps y is Z m being preferably looped to permit the waist band to pass through. T he straps are fixedly secured to the waist band in the position shown in Fig. f, so that a further tendencyis ater-ted. to hold the edges in contact with the limbs. The straps are lixed to the waist band at such points as best suit the indi vidual ligure, and as the straps are looped about the waist band the device is held togcthcr during the process of fitting the l], m l rc. 7

An in'iportant feature of the invention is provision of a liiandage which is longer According to the present invensides, since by this means a bandage'is provided which hugs the limbs of the wearer so that leakage is prevented. Furthermore fasteners in front of the device, the bandage may be temporarily released or removed for the purpose of changing the pads or for other purposes. In order to change the pads it is'onlynecessary to unbuckle the straps 7' /ll and grasp one corner of the pad and then pull it from its fasteners, whereupon a fresh pad may be easily adjusted in place.

In the use of my invention it is adjusted about the person of the, wearer, and the straps y is tightened until the bandage assumels a comfortable position. When the device is properly adjusted, there 'is' .no danger of slipping of the bandage orleakage from the absorbent pad B or C. Furthermore the device as constructed very closely fits the form of the wearer, so that there is no appreciable bulging effect, and

'its use even with the tightest and thinnest While Ihave described in detail one form of my invention, 1 do not wish to be limited thereto, as various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention l 1. A. catamenial bandage comprising suspensory means, an absorbent pad, and a holder, said holder being formed of tWo strips of material joined together at their inside edges and extending from end to end of the holder, said inner edges being cut on concave curves extending from end to end of the l'l()l(l0l, and said suspensory means being attached to said holder at both ends thereof at the outside edges thereof, said snspensory means being adapted to pull on the outer edges in such manner as to hold the sides and outer edges of the holder closely against the limbs of the user when. in

A 'lizlllilll'lt'llltll bandage comprising suspensory means, an absorbent pad, and a 1,15e,se2

holder, said hold'm being formed of. two strips of material joined together at their inside edges and extending from end to end ot the holder, said inner edges being cut on concave curves extending from end to end of the holder, and said suspensory means comprising a waist band and straps adjustable circumferentially of said waist band, said straps being attached to said holder at both ends thereof at the outside edges thereof, said straps being adapted to pull on the outer edges of said holder in such manner as to hold the sides and outer edges of the holder closely against the limbs of the user when in use without the aid of other extend ing means, and in such manner that the pressure of said outeredges of the holder upon the limbs of the user may be adjusted by drawing up and circumterentially spacing apart said straps.

3. A catal'nenial bandage comprising suspensory means, an absorbent pad, and a holder, said holder being formed oftwo strips of material joined together attheir inside edges and extending from end to end of the holder, said inner edges being out on concave curyes extending from end to end of the holder, and said suspensory means being attached to said holder at both ends thereof at the outside edges thereof, said suspensory means being adapted to pull on the outer edges in such manner as to hold the sides and outer edges of the holder closely against the limbs of the user when in use without the aid of other extending I means and in such manner that the pressure of said outer edges of the holder upon the limbs of the user may be adjusted by drawing up said suspensory means, and said holder having a flap at each end, said flaps having fasteners by which they are adapted,

to be fastened to such a pad, and being also adapted to be folded over an ordinary napkin and pinned thereto.

4. A catamential bandage comprising suspensory means, an absorbent pad, and a holder, said holder being formed of two strips of material joined together at their inside edges/and extending'from end to end of the holder, said inner edges being out on conca\-'e eurves extending from end to end of the holder, and said suspensory means being attached to said holder at both ends -means for holding the suspensory means more widely separated at their upper ends than at their lower ends.

In witness; whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

resonate o, CORNELL.

, TWitnesses:

- EUGnNE MYERs,

FRED WHITE. 

